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May 25, 2006

Former employee charged with theft







BY DEBBIE WACHTER MORRIS DMORRIS@NCNEWSONLINE.COM





A former Union Township pool company manager is accused of stealing money from the store and keeping customers' cash deposits. Union Township police Tuesday filed three felony charges of theft, theft by deception and receiving stolen property against George Lipcsak, 45, of Zelienople, who had been the manager of Swimming Pool Discounters at 4901 W. State St. Police said Lipcsak allegedly stole $8,267.29 from the store in cash and customer deposits. He also is accused of stealing a laundry dryer from the business. A warrant has been issued for his arrest by District Judge J.V. Lamb, and he is expected to turn himself in to authorities. Police said Lipcsak has been fired. Police allege Lipcsak took customers' cash deposits and did not turn the money over to the business. Nor did he deliver the products to the customers, they said. Police received a report from office manager Melissa Kleiner on June 14 that her father, Dale Kleiner, who owns the company, told her a customer had called to set up a delivery date for his hot tub. Dale Kleiner told the customer he had no sale order or contact on a hot tub under his name, according to police. Melissa Kleiner also told police she found from an inventory list that all the equipment used to install fiberglass pools was missing. She also said other customers had called the store and her father, asking where their pools or hot tubs were because they had paid deposits to Lipcsak but did not receive their purchases. In one instance, a couple had placed a deposit on a pool, then gave Lipcsak more money and picked up the pool. However, the payment was not turned in to the company, the police were told. Melissa Kleiner also learned that a customer had paid more than $2,000 by check for a purchase that wasn't received. The company never received the money, and the man received a refund, leaving the store short. Melissa Kleiner also alleged Lipcsak did not turn in register money on certain days, police said. Police noted they had interviewed Lipcsak about the cash discrepancies and he voluntarily answered their questions and gave a written statement, admitting to stealing customer deposits and to stealing money from the cash register. When questioned about items missing from the store, according to police, Lipcsak said he did not have any of those items, with the exception of the dryer.



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